Lieutenant Governor of Quebec
Encyclopedia
The Lieutenant Governor of Quebec (icon, French
(masculine): Lieutenant-gouverneur du Québec, or (feminine): Lieutenant-gouverneure du Québec) is the viceregal
representative in Quebec
of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province
but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada
and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United Kingdom
. The Lieutenant Governor of Quebec is appointed in the same manner as the other provincial viceroys in Canada
and is similarly tasked with carrying out most of the monarch's constitutional and ceremonial duties. The present, and 28th, Lieutenant Governor of Quebec is Pierre Duchesne
, who has served in the role since 7 July 2007.
, a session of the National Assembly instead beginning with the Opening Speech by the premier
. The lieutenant governor is also expected to undertake various ceremonial roles. For instance, upon installation, the lieutenant governor automatically becomes a Knight or Dame of Justice and the Vice-Prior in Quebec of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
and will also present numerous other provincial honours and decorations, as well as various awards that are named for and presented by the lieutenant governor, which were reinstated in 2000 by Lieutenant Governor Lise Thibault
. These honours are presented at official ceremonies, which count amongst hundreds of other engagements the lieutenant governor partakes in each year, either as host or guest of honour; in 2006, the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec undertook 400 engagements and 200 in 2007.
At these events, the lieutenant governor's presence is marked by the lieutenant governor's standard
, consisting of a blue field bearing the shield of the Arms of Her Majesty in Right of Quebec
surmounted by a crown and set within a white disc; the Quebec viceregal flag is only one of two that are significantly different from all the others in Canada. Within Quebec, the lieutenant governor also follows only the sovereign in the province's order of precedence
, preceding even other members of the Canadian Royal Family and the Queen's federal representative
.
It has been argued by Jeremy Webber and Robert Andrew Young that, as the office is the core of authority in the province, the secession of Quebec from Confederaton
would first require the abolition or transformation of the post of Lieutenant Governor of Quebec; such an amendment to the constitution of Canada
could not be done without, according to Section 41 of the Constitution Act, 1982
, the approval of the federal parliament
and all other provincial legislatures in Canada. Others, such as J. Woehrling, however, have claimed that the legislative process towards Quebec's independence would not require any prior change to the viceregal post. Young also felt that the lieutenant governor could refuse Royal Assent to a bill that proposed to put an unclear question on sovereignty to referendum or was based on the results of a referendum that asked such a question.
, and evolved from the earlier position of Lieutenant Governor of Canada East. Since that date, 28 lieutenant governors have served the province, amongst whom were notable firsts, such as Lise Thibault the first female and first disabled lieutenant governor of the province. The shortest mandate by a Lieutenant Governor of Quebec was Lomer Gouin
, from January to March 1929, while the longest was Hugues Lapointe
, from 1966 to 1978.
One of the few examples in Canada of a viceroy exercising the Royal Prerogative
against or without ministerial advice
came in 1887, when Lieutenant Governor Auguste-Réal Angers
dismissed the cabinet headed by Premier
Honoré Mercier
; a report concluded that Mercier's government had benefited from a kickback scheme with contractors building the Baie des Chaleurs railway
.
The appointment of Jean-Louis Roux
as Lieutenant Governor of Quebec by Governor General Roméo LeBlanc
, on the advice of Prime Minister
Jean Chrétien
, stirred controversy, as Roux was well known as a strong opponent of Quebec independence and, soon after he took up the post, it was revealed that, as a university student in the 1940s, he had worn a swastika
on his lab coat in protest of the proposal to invoke conscription
for service in World War II
. Roux thereafter resigned his post voluntarily.
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
(masculine): Lieutenant-gouverneur du Québec, or (feminine): Lieutenant-gouverneure du Québec) is the viceregal
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
representative in Quebec
Quebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II, who operates distinctly within the province
Monarchy in Quebec
By the arrangements of the Canadian federation, Canada's monarchy operates in Quebec as the core of the province's Westminster-style parliamentary democracy and constitution. As such, the Crown within Quebec's jurisdiction is referred to as the Crown in Right of Quebec , Her Majesty in Right of...
but is also shared equally with the ten other jurisdictions of Canada
Canadian federalism
Canada is a federation with two distinct jurisdictions of political authority: the country-wide federal government and the ten regionally-based provincial governments. It also has three territorial governments in the far north, though these are subject to the federal government...
and resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
. The Lieutenant Governor of Quebec is appointed in the same manner as the other provincial viceroys in Canada
Lieutenant Governor (Canada)
In Canada, a lieutenant governor is the viceregal representative in a provincial jurisdiction of the Canadian monarch and head of state, Queen Elizabeth II, who resides predominantly in her oldest realm, the United Kingdom...
and is similarly tasked with carrying out most of the monarch's constitutional and ceremonial duties. The present, and 28th, Lieutenant Governor of Quebec is Pierre Duchesne
Pierre Duchesne
Pierre Duchesne is the 28th and current Lieutenant Governor of Quebec and former secretary general of the National Assembly of Quebec.-Biography:A licentiate in Law from Université Laval, Pierre Duchesne had been a notary in Sept-Îles in 1966....
, who has served in the role since 7 July 2007.
Role and presence
The Lieutenant Governor of Quebec is vested with a number of governmental duties, though, unlike all other Canadian provinces, and while he or she does remain one of the two parts of the legislature, the viceroy in Quebec does not read the Throne SpeechSpeech from the Throne
A speech from the throne is an event in certain monarchies in which the reigning sovereign reads a prepared speech to a complete session of parliament, outlining the government's agenda for the coming session...
, a session of the National Assembly instead beginning with the Opening Speech by the premier
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
. The lieutenant governor is also expected to undertake various ceremonial roles. For instance, upon installation, the lieutenant governor automatically becomes a Knight or Dame of Justice and the Vice-Prior in Quebec of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem
Venerable Order of Saint John
The Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of Saint John of Jerusalem , is a royal order of chivalry established in 1831 and found today throughout the Commonwealth of Nations, Hong Kong, Ireland and the United States of America, with the world-wide mission "to prevent and relieve sickness and...
and will also present numerous other provincial honours and decorations, as well as various awards that are named for and presented by the lieutenant governor, which were reinstated in 2000 by Lieutenant Governor Lise Thibault
Lise Thibault
Lise Thibault is a Canadian civil servant who was appointed the 27th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec on January 30, 1997. As a former Vice-Regal representative of Elizabeth II, as Queen in Right of Quebec, she is styled The Honourable for life.-Early life:Born in Saint-Roch-de-l'Achigan, Quebec,...
. These honours are presented at official ceremonies, which count amongst hundreds of other engagements the lieutenant governor partakes in each year, either as host or guest of honour; in 2006, the Lieutenant Governor of Quebec undertook 400 engagements and 200 in 2007.
Flags of the Lieutenant Governors of Canada
As the viceregal representative of the monarch of Canada, the lieutenant governors of the Canadian provinces have since Confederation been entitled to and have used a personal standard. Within a lieutenant governor's province, this standard has precedence over any other flag, including the national...
, consisting of a blue field bearing the shield of the Arms of Her Majesty in Right of Quebec
Coat of arms of Quebec
The coat of arms of Quebec was adopted by order-in-council of the Quebec government on 9 December 1939, replacing the arms assigned by royal warrant of Queen Victoria on 26 May 1868.The shield is divided into three horizontal fields:...
surmounted by a crown and set within a white disc; the Quebec viceregal flag is only one of two that are significantly different from all the others in Canada. Within Quebec, the lieutenant governor also follows only the sovereign in the province's order of precedence
Order of precedence in Quebec
The Quebec order of precedence is a nominal and symbolic hierarchy of important positions within the province of Quebec. It has no legal standing but is used to dictate ceremonial protocol at events of a provincial nature....
, preceding even other members of the Canadian Royal Family and the Queen's federal representative
Governor General of Canada
The Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
.
It has been argued by Jeremy Webber and Robert Andrew Young that, as the office is the core of authority in the province, the secession of Quebec from Confederaton
Quebec sovereignty movement
The Quebec sovereignty movement refers to both the political movement and the ideology of values, concepts and ideas that promote the secession of the province of Quebec from the rest of Canada...
would first require the abolition or transformation of the post of Lieutenant Governor of Quebec; such an amendment to the constitution of Canada
Constitution of Canada
The Constitution of Canada is the supreme law in Canada; the country's constitution is an amalgamation of codified acts and uncodified traditions and conventions. It outlines Canada's system of government, as well as the civil rights of all Canadian citizens and those in Canada...
could not be done without, according to Section 41 of the Constitution Act, 1982
Constitution Act, 1982
The Constitution Act, 1982 is a part of the Constitution of Canada. The Act was introduced as part of Canada's process of "patriating" the constitution, introducing several amendments to the British North America Act, 1867, and changing the latter's name in Canada to the Constitution Act, 1867...
, the approval of the federal parliament
Parliament of Canada
The Parliament of Canada is the federal legislative branch of Canada, seated at Parliament Hill in the national capital, Ottawa. Formally, the body consists of the Canadian monarch—represented by her governor general—the Senate, and the House of Commons, each element having its own officers and...
and all other provincial legislatures in Canada. Others, such as J. Woehrling, however, have claimed that the legislative process towards Quebec's independence would not require any prior change to the viceregal post. Young also felt that the lieutenant governor could refuse Royal Assent to a bill that proposed to put an unclear question on sovereignty to referendum or was based on the results of a referendum that asked such a question.
History
The office of Lieutenant Governor of Quebec came into being in 1867, upon the creation of Quebec at ConfederationCanadian Confederation
Canadian Confederation was the process by which the federal Dominion of Canada was formed on July 1, 1867. On that day, three British colonies were formed into four Canadian provinces...
, and evolved from the earlier position of Lieutenant Governor of Canada East. Since that date, 28 lieutenant governors have served the province, amongst whom were notable firsts, such as Lise Thibault the first female and first disabled lieutenant governor of the province. The shortest mandate by a Lieutenant Governor of Quebec was Lomer Gouin
Lomer Gouin
Sir Jean Lomer Gouin, PC, KCMG was a Canadian politician.-Biography:He was born in Grondines, Quebec and served as 13th Premier of the Canadian province of Quebec, as a Cabinet minister in the federal government of Canada, and as the 15th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec.On May 24, 1888, he married...
, from January to March 1929, while the longest was Hugues Lapointe
Hugues Lapointe
Hugues Lapointe, PC, OC, CD, QC was a Canadian lawyer, Member of Parliament and 22nd Lieutenant Governor of Quebec from 1966 to 1978....
, from 1966 to 1978.
One of the few examples in Canada of a viceroy exercising the Royal Prerogative
Royal Prerogative
The royal prerogative is a body of customary authority, privilege, and immunity, recognized in common law and, sometimes, in civil law jurisdictions possessing a monarchy as belonging to the sovereign alone. It is the means by which some of the executive powers of government, possessed by and...
against or without ministerial advice
Advice (constitutional)
Advice, in constitutional law, is formal, usually binding, instruction given by one constitutional officer of state to another. Especially in parliamentary systems of government, Heads of state often act on the basis of advice issued by prime ministers or other government ministers...
came in 1887, when Lieutenant Governor Auguste-Réal Angers
Auguste-Réal Angers
Sir Auguste-Réal Angers, KCB, PC was a Canadian judge and parliamentarian, holding seats both as a member of the Canadian House of Commons, and as a Senator...
dismissed the cabinet headed by Premier
Premier of Quebec
The Premier of Quebec is the first minister of the Canadian province of Quebec. The Premier is the province's head of government and his title is Premier and President of the Executive Council....
Honoré Mercier
Honoré Mercier
Honoré Mercier was a lawyer, journalist and politician in Quebec, Canada. He was the ninth Premier of Quebec from January 27, 1887 to December 21, 1891, as leader of the Parti National or Quebec Liberal Party ....
; a report concluded that Mercier's government had benefited from a kickback scheme with contractors building the Baie des Chaleurs railway
Chemin de fer Baie des Chaleurs
The Chemin de fer Baie des Chaleurs is a rail line in Canada. The line began began operations in December 1996 as a subsidiary of the Quebec Railway Corporation, after being previously a part of CN. Its system consists of a single track linking Matapédia to Gaspé, Quebec...
.
The appointment of Jean-Louis Roux
Jean-Louis Roux
Jean-Louis Roux, CC, CQ is a noted entertainer and playwright, senator, and briefly the 26th Lieutenant Governor of Quebec, Canada.-Biography:...
as Lieutenant Governor of Quebec by Governor General Roméo LeBlanc
Roméo LeBlanc
Roméo-Adrien LeBlanc was a Canadian journalist, politician, and statesman who served as Governor General of Canada, the 25th since Canadian Confederation....
, on the advice of Prime Minister
Prime Minister of Canada
The Prime Minister of Canada is the primary minister of the Crown, chairman of the Cabinet, and thus head of government for Canada, charged with advising the Canadian monarch or viceroy on the exercise of the executive powers vested in them by the constitution...
Jean Chrétien
Jean Chrétien
Joseph Jacques Jean Chrétien , known commonly as Jean Chrétien is a former Canadian politician who was the 20th Prime Minister of Canada. He served in the position for over ten years, from November 4, 1993 to December 12, 2003....
, stirred controversy, as Roux was well known as a strong opponent of Quebec independence and, soon after he took up the post, it was revealed that, as a university student in the 1940s, he had worn a swastika
Swastika
The swastika is an equilateral cross with its arms bent at right angles, in either right-facing form in counter clock motion or its mirrored left-facing form in clock motion. Earliest archaeological evidence of swastika-shaped ornaments dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization of Ancient...
on his lab coat in protest of the proposal to invoke conscription
Conscription Crisis of 1944
The Conscription Crisis of 1944 was a political and military crisis following the introduction of forced military service in Canada during World War II. It was similar to the Conscription Crisis of 1917, but was not as politically damaging....
for service in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. Roux thereafter resigned his post voluntarily.
See also
- List of Lieutenant Governors of Quebec
- Governor General of CanadaGovernor General of CanadaThe Governor General of Canada is the federal viceregal representative of the Canadian monarch, Queen Elizabeth II...
- Monarchy in CanadaMonarchy in CanadaThe monarchy of Canada is the core of both Canada's federalism and its Westminster-style parliamentary democracy, being the foundation of the executive, legislative, and judicial branches of the Canadian government and each provincial government...